Grille guard



`June4, 1940. 1..,KOUBEK m1 2,203,499

GRILLE GUARD Filed Jan. 21, 1958 2 sheets-sheer 1 l June 4, 1940 J. L. KouBEK er AL 2,203,499

GRILLE GUARD Filed Jan. 21. 195s 2 sheets-sheet 2f /vzz Qcbubek .Wanne 0l. iig/Zai Patented June 4, 1940 QMUNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE GRILLE GUARD John L. Koubek and Horace A. Taylor, Anderson,

ler

nd., assigner-s to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application January 21, 1938, Serial No. 186,018

5 Claims.

vice has been designed as accessory equipment l for motor vehicles and as such will be mounted on the usual bumper bar to range and to reduce th ment' withobstacles.

One of the `primary objects of the present invention is to provide a rugged but neat appearing structure which can be made available to the public at small cost. With this in mind the invention includes a triangular guard made up essentially `of two structuralsection bars arincrease the shielding likelihood of entangleranged to be mounted atQ their lower ends in `spaced apart relation and to converge upwardly with their ends in interconnected seating abutment at the point of convergence. The result is a comparatively light weight butl inherently strong :and rigid structure which will Iit into and im prove the general appearance of the automobile.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective View of a front portion of a motor vehicle showing t'he application of the guard thereto; Figure`2 is a front View of the guard; Figure 3 is a detail sectional `,view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a rear view of a fragment of the guard showing the connection at the apex of the bars; Figure 5 is a detail section` taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2; Figure 6 `is a View on line 6-6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 shows a fragment of the guard with a modiiied type ofinterconnection between the ends of the bars; Figure 8 is a section on line 8--8 of Figure 7; Figure 9 illustrates an optional form. of interconnection;

Figure 10 is a section on line Ill- I0 of Figure 9, and Figures 11 and moimting foot.

In the drawings the reference numeral I indicates the usual impact bar at the front of the vehicle forward of the radiator grille 2, headlamps 3 and fenders 4. These are the parts which are most often damaged in the event of collision and their repair or An increased measure of protection will be afforded by combining with the usual bumper I the triangular guard which forms the subject matter hereof.

For economy i and convenience `in manufac ture it is proposed that the guard comprise a pair of complementary members formed by stamping operations to cross sectional shapes 12 show a simplied which impart strength thereto and to intercon` replacement is costly;

nect such parts in denite xed relation to afford a rigid assembly. When the assembly is rigidly mounted on the bumper bar through the spaced apart feet of the guard the parts are tied together affording a'triangular buier capable of" withstanding severe impact.

In the drawings the apex of the guard is located on the center line of the vehicle and the right-hand and left-hand bars 5 and 6, respectively, extend downwardly and outwardly and at their lower end each bar terminates in a vertically disposed mounting foot I adapted to be clamped to the bumper bar by means of a plate 'I extending in back of the bumper I and secured by upper and lower nut and bolt assemblies carried `by the guard bars. As shown in Figure 3 the bolts extend through the bars with the bolt heads bearing against the front face and with upset collars 9 bearing against the rear face to maintain the bolts in iiXed relation to the bar. Optionally the head f the bolt may be welded to the inner face of the bar or otherwise attached thereto.

Inthe interests of a secure fastening the side flanges II and I2 ofthe bars may be shaped to conform to and provide recesses which receive thexfront` face of the bumper bar I and to increase the seating surface and enhance general appearance the side flanges of the channel may additionally be turned outwardly as at I3. As a manufacturing detail, the feet portions may be formed separately from the upwardly extending bars and welded to the lower ends of indicated along the line event both feet portions can be formed in the same die with a resulting saving in die cost.

The upwardly convergent bars and 6 are joined together at their apex behind a shield or medallion plate I5 which covers the line of jointure and provides some ornamentation. If desired thiscover plate I5 may carry the trademark or be shaped to the form of the shield of either the guard manufacturer or the manufacturer of the automobile with which the guard is used. Alternately a separate shield may be bolted to the cover plate I5. At any rate it is proposed that the shield I5 be secured by the same means which fastens the bars together.

In one form of interconnection the web portions eXtendbeyond the inner and outer flanges II and I2 of the channel section bars 5 and 6 and are turned inwardly as at I6 and I'l to lie in vertical planes at the longitudinal center line of the vehicle and to constitute attachment ears which,

the bars as by reason of their abutment, determine the angle of convergence of the bars 5 and 6 thereby insuring proper assembly. A fastening bolt I8 having a nut I9, extends through the ears I6 and l1 to clamp the parts securely and the insertion of a wrench or other tool for engagement with the nut 'I9 and the head of the bolt I8 is facilitated by the fact that the flanges l2-l2 end short of the attachment ears I6 and Il. The bolt also extends through an opening in an attachment plate 2li which is interposed between the ears l5 and Il and extends rearwardly from and is welded or otherwise secured to the cover plate A rearward extension 2! at the upper end of the cover plate conceals the top of the joint between the bars'. To assist in locating the parts and relieve the fastening bolt from some twisting n strain the flanges I6 and l1 are provided with instance are ush with alined deformations as at 22 which provide a projecting lug onv the abutment face of the ear l1 and a lug receiving recess in the abutment face of the lug l5, the mounting plate 2B being pro-A vided With an opening to vpermit the passage therethrough of the projecting interlocking lug.

In the form shown in Figure 7 the web and both flanges'of the bars 23 and 24 are continuous to the upper ends and are in end to end abutment with one another on a line which determines the convergence of the bars. In this instance the interconnection is through the cover plate 25 which has a pair of studs 25 riveted thereto for passage through openings inthe adjoining ends of the bars 23 and 24 and which receive Vfastening nuts for holding the parts together. As will be noted in Figure 8 the attachment studs in this the front face of the cover plate 25.

1n Figure 9 the bars 21 and 23 abut through the inner flange and webs while their outer flanges extend inwardly and then terminate in upwardly extending abutment ears 2S and B a located under the shield 3l and are secured together by a nut and bolt assembly 32 which also locates the attachment ear 33 of the cover plate 3|.

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate the omission of the outturned flange I3 shown -in Figure 2 in which case the side flanges of the bars 35 are simply cut out to conform to the shape and the cut-out portions seat on the front face of the bar and are retained in position by the clamping plate 36 as before described.

of the bumper bar We claim:

1. A guard of the character described, including a pair of channel section members, having at adjacent ends web extensions turned laterally for seating relation to each other, with the side flanges ending short of the ends to provide clearance for access to the fastening connection between said lateral extensions. 4

2. A supplemental bumper guard comprising a pair of vertically disposed and convergently related bars of channel. section adapted to be mounted at their lower ends on a bumper assembly, abutment seats at the apex of said bars comprising laterally turned extensions, a joint cover plate having a mounting ear interposed between said extensions and a fastening bolt projecting through said extensions and said ear to secure the parts in assembled relation.

3. A bumper guard including convergently related channels having inturned extensions at ad jacent ends to providelocating seats, a projecting lug on the abutment face of one of said extensions, a lug receiving recess on the abutment face of the other extension and fastening means hold-- ing said extensions together. Y

4. A supplemental bumper guard comprising upwardly convergent bars, each having a vertical web and a rearwardly extending flange, said webs at the apex of said bars being in end to end abutment on a line which determines the convergence of the bars, an appearance plate covering the line `of abutment and having a rearward attachment lug, said flanges terminating in attachment ears vcooperating with said lug and a fastening element connecting said ears and lug to hold the parts in assembly.

5. yA bumper guard comprising convergent bars, each having a vertical web andv a rearwardly extending flange, said webs at the apex' of said bars being in end to end abutment on a line which determines the convergence of the bars, an appearance plate covering the line of abutment in the front face of the webs and overlying said anges, said flanges extending inwardly under said plate and then upwardly to provide cooperating attachment ears, a fastening element joining said ears and a mounting lug carried by said plate and held in place by said element.

JOHN L. KOUBEK. HORACE A. TAYLOR. 

